Tim54 Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 Hi Tim here ! well I got the 1923 Buick touring home and with a little work on the coil I have it running ! however the spark advance on the steering wheel has to be all the way down to the bottom to get it to run smoothly , is that right ? or could the distributor be off one gear tooth ? if that's possible on this engine? if it is possible to pull the distributer and move one tooth is there and thing I should know like oil pump rod etc. Thanks Tim 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 (edited) Hi Tim, Welcome. Your car looks great. The distributor gear is on a collet and can be put in any position. There is a photo below. I have had mine slip as well and it has left me stranded. I was afraid to overtighten it. I am going to post my write up for you that should help. It is more than you need and the links may not work, but I think it will cover what you are looking for. Do you have the side curtains for your car? That is my most recent project. Hugh Edited May 21, 2020 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted May 21, 2020 Share Posted May 21, 2020 With these distributors, you can't "be off by a tooth" as with other ones. Whatever tooth you are on, you can loosen the little screw at the top of the shaft that drives the rotor, and move it where it needs to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 I do not believe the 1923 Distributor had the screw under the rotor. I think the rotor could be adjusted from the BOTTOM side of the rotor shaft. I'm sure one of the 1923 guys will correct me if this is not right. I believe Morgan is correct for all of the models up through 1922. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert_25-25 Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 The 1922-1924 4 cylinder and 1923 -1924 6 cylinder used the bolt and collet as shown under the gear. It was also used in later years thru 1927, but 1925 to 1927 had the potmetal distributor bodies. Hugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AussieBuick Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 I think Hugh is on the money here, my distributors are in several boxes on the shelf marked to be restored. Appreciate all the comments and I will be returning to this thread . Thanks Norm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_Heil Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Underneath on a 1923 6 cylinder. You are not going to hand start a big 6, there are better options. You are going to find a tow rope or a battery charger or jumper cables in a pinch. I speak from experience. So, set your timing more advanced to take advantage of modern fuel with twice the octane rating of 1923 fuels. With the timing lever fully retarded, (up), and a new timing mark you add to the flywheel, 7 degrees BEFORE TDC (match the distance of the existing 7 degree after TDC mark but on the other side of TDC) and time to this new mark. You have added 14 degrees to your base timing Do all of this with modern timing light run by a 12v source. I use the 12v lawn tractor. While you have the light connected, check your centrifugal advance weights for function. Rev the engine and the timing should further advance and then return at idle. Been running this 24 years and 40,000+ touring miles. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_Heil Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 (edited) And I leave the lever fully advanced even when starting. It starts perfect here. The only time I ever touch my advance lever is to show off and reduce my idle speed by retarding timing, to show how low and smooth the engine can go if I want. +14 degrees gives you more power, more fuel economy and better cooling. Edited May 22, 2020 by Brian_Heil (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Not to argue, but I hand start my 242 all the time, it gives people a big kick, especially if I let them do it. But it's a lot harder than starting a 4, I'll give you that. I only let people start it who look young and strong like me (I'm 64 and can't lift a pillow if it has too many feathers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_Heil Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 (edited) As they say, whatever turns your crank. I did have a guy ask if he could hand start my car once. I dug the crank out from under the back seat and let him go at it. I thought of leaving the ignition off but that was another time and another story where a not so nice guy said I had to move my car because I was parked in the wrong show field and he had no idea we have electric start. He never did get it to fire. Early on in my ownership we had a brutally cold spell. I left the garage door open and had -17 F on the garage thermometer. February and the car had not run since Thanksgiving when I put it away. First pull with full choke. Nothing. Second pull I got a bark. Went to 1/2 choke and it started in the 3rd pull. After that I didn’t see a need to mess with the hand crank. Another time we took the SS Badger car ferry across Lake Michigan to the National Meet in Rochester MN. They let classic car owners drive their own cars in and you are last in but first out and you have to back in. Somehow the headlights got left on and 4 1/2 hours latter I had a next to dead battery and a row of cars behind me with antsy car jockeys wanting to move cars out for impatient owners. Unload the luggage and out comes the back seat and the crank. Not sure how but it started. The waiting owners thought it was great entertainment. Edited May 25, 2020 by Brian_Heil (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 14 hours ago, Brian_Heil said: I thought of leaving the ignition off but that was another time and another story where a not so nice guy said I had to move my car because I was parked in the wrong show field Was that at a BCA meet? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_Heil Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, Mark Shaw said: Was that at a BCA meet? Yep South Bend Edited May 24, 2020 by Brian_Heil (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 Ben's my kind of guy!😁 Terry Wiegand Out in Doo Dah 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_Heil Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 4 hours ago, Ben P. said: I like that story, which by the way, all these little BCA Show stories are starting to add up and compliment each other to the point I’d consider not renewing membership except that my local chapter is made up of some of the nicest people in the world. I have the oldest car there too I’m not a ‘show guy’ anyway. Hate snakes, and the showfield does seem to be the place the few that there are in this hobby tend to be — out there basking in the sun soaking up the heat.... Nope, no 🐍’s. Don’t let a few you-know-what’s spoil the punch bowl. The Pre War Division boys and girls have lots of fun and I think most others do too. Dictators come and go like a cheap meal at a bad restaurant. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Not too sure about snakes in Michigan. Garter snakes are harmless, maybe copperheads. But at car shows? Yeah, and I hate all the alligators in North Dakota. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 20 hours ago, Brian_Heil said: Yep South Bend Not surprised... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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